Think You Might Be Addicted to Email? You're Not Alone — New AOL Survey Reveals that More Americans are Using Portable Devices to Email Around the Clock from Virtually Anywhere - in the Bathroom, While Driving and Even in Church — 83% of Email Users Checking on Vacation; Many Plan Getaways Around Access

Microsoft's forecast: cloudy — In a talk before Wall Street analysts yesterday, Microsoft's coder-in-chief, Ray Ozzie, described in broad strokes the software giant's plans to build its utility computing business as more and more computing functions and software applications turn …

The Twitter Lesson: No Business Plans Please — Seeing that Twitter closed a funding round, and spotting the associated incredulity about Evan's company not having a business plan, reminded me of something: Whatever your feelings about Twitter, business plans are overrated, and profits perhaps even more so.

VMware lands Cisco as investor — Cisco Systems said Friday it will invest $150 million in VMware, joining Intel as a strategic investor. — After the investment Cisco will own 1.6 percent of VMware's outstanding shares. VMware will also consider appointing a Cisco executive to its board in the future.

BBC online player launches — The BBC's flagship online TV service is being launched, offering viewers the chance to download their favourite programmes from the last seven days. — For director general Mark Thompson, the launch of iPlayer is as big a milestone as the arrival of colour TV.

Google 'the most improved brand' — Google is the brand that has gained the most in value over the past year, according a survey of global brands. — The report from Interbrand found that Google's brand value had risen 44% in the past 12 months to $17.8bn (£8.8bn), which put it in 20th place.

What's Really Going On With Podtech? — There have been a number of reports that silicon valley based Podtech is literally falling apart. I spoke to Podtech CEO John Furrier and asked him how many of the rumors are true. While he certainly fed me a certain amount of spin, the company has at least a few signs of life.

Wii + Second Life = New Training Simulator — Nintendo games have made the Wii controller a satisfyingly realistic controller for pretend tennis, golf and baseball. But how about using it to practice doing surgery, applying pesticides or operating a nuclear power plant?

HBO comedy site shut down — This Just In offered celebrity riffs, comic videos — This Just In, the comedy site HBO envisioned as both a brand extension and a potential development pipeline, is being shut down just six months after launching. — Time Warner will unwind the venture …

TiVo's Catch-22 — TiVo's survival depends on cable. Cable has limited incentives to see it succeed. Does TiVo have a way out? — This week, the company that has amassed such powerful brand equity that it has become a verb ("Did you TiVo The Sopranos finale?") announced that it is working hard …